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Scott Benner 0:00
OmniPod, Hello friends, and welcome to another episode of The juicebox Podcast. Today,

we're going to speak with Alyssa. She's Miss Iowa 2023 and she has type one diabetes, what a terrific conversation with just an intelligent, thoughtful person you're going to see in just a minute what I'm talking about. Please don't forget that nothing you hear on the juicebox podcast should be considered advice medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan or becoming bold with insulin. If you have type one diabetes, or you are the caregiver of someone with type one and you're a US resident, you can help with type one diabetes research by going to T 1d exchange.org, forward slash juice box, joining the registry and completing the survey. This should take you about 10 minutes. You're going to be asked questions that you definitely know the answer to. It's not a big pressure situation. They collect that data, and with that data, they help make better decisions in research. T 1d, exchange.org/juicebox, please do check it out. Don't forget to save 40% off of your entire order at cozy earth.com. All you have to do is use the offer code juicebox at checkout. That's juicebox at checkout to save 40 percent@cozyearth.com Did you know if just one person in your family has type one diabetes, you're up to 15 times more likely to get it too. So screen it like you mean it one blood test can spot type one diabetes, early tap now talk to a doctor or visit screened for type one.com for more info. This episode of The juicebox podcast is sponsored by the Eversense CGM, an implantable six month sensor. Is what you get with Eversense, but you get so much more exceptional and consistent accuracy over six months and distinct on body vibe alerts when you're high or low on body vibe alerts. You don't even know what that means. Do you ever sense cgm.com/juicebox, go find out. Today's episode of The juicebox podcast is sponsored by the contour next gen blood glucose meter. This is the meter that my daughter has on her person right now. It is incredibly accurate and waiting for you at contour next.com/juice box.

Alyssa 2:31
My name is Alyssa gothi, and I have lived with type one diabetes for about 13 years now. I was diagnosed at 11 years old, and I'm also the first diabetic. Miss Iowa. Miss

Scott Benner 2:41
Iowa.

Alyssa 2:42
How does that happen? Lot of hard work, but really, I started competing, gosh, at 10 years old, so before I was even diagnosed, and there's a big performance element, I've always loved to sing, and that's what initially got me hooked. My mom actually was very against it, because she didn't want me to be Toddlers and Tiaras, if you remember that show, oh yeah, and I basically wore her down until she said, Fine, you'll lose and you'll get it out of your system. Then I won. So I've been doing it for 14 years, but I became really involved after I was diagnosed because of the community service element. It kind of helped me work through that grief of being diagnosed and being the only person in a graduating class of 400 people to be living with diabetes. And so getting to represent in an area where not a lot of representation is there or visible, was a really big deal to me, and to win the title of Miss Iowa being the first type one diabetic to do so is just the biggest honor. Oh, congratulations,

Scott Benner 3:42
thank you. Yeah, I'd like to pick through it a little more, if you don't mind, like, I don't get to hear about stuff like this. So you're saying that when you were 10 years old, you were singing and enjoying singing, and you were looking for a place for for an outlet for that. Is that right?

Alyssa 3:58
Yes, yeah, I actually saw my cousin compete. I was invited to watch her in a competition, and I just was enamored by the talent portion, and I turned to my mom in the audience, and I was like, Hey, Mom, I want to do that. I want to sing for people. And that's when she initially said, No. Now also you have to keep in mind I was actually very much a tomboy, believe it or not, and hated wearing shoes, hated wearing dresses, hated my hair done, hated makeup. So of course, my mom was like, Why on earth are you the girl that's wanting to do this? But now, if you look at me, you definitely wouldn't see the tomboy in me at all. But I just I wanted to sing for people, and I've always loved doing it. I sang in church growing up. I did voice lessons. I did talent shows anytime I could be on stage, I was doing it, and pageants were a great

Scott Benner 4:44
outlet for that. Wow. And then you have to work your way through it. So what's the first thing you won? I

Alyssa 4:49
won my local county title. So we have different age divisions. We have little miss Junior, Miss Teen, and then miss, so depending on your age, I was 10, so I was. The Junior Miss and I competed for Junior Miss Scott County in my hometown auditorium, and had no idea what I was doing. Was just trying to have fun. I kind of forgot that you could actually win. And when they called my name, I was like, oh yeah, this is a part of it. And then got, got crowned. So after the local level, you advanced to the state. So I competed for Junior Miss Iowa. Did not win, which is totally fine. And after state, then you go to the national competition. So this past January, after I won this Iowa, I actually went to Miss America, which was so surreal.

Scott Benner 5:35
Wow. Okay, hold on, I'm gonna get back that. I want to know. Do you play any sports?

Alyssa 5:39
I used to be in softball, but I quit after Middle School. Okay,

Scott Benner 5:44
you have to have a killer instinct a little bit right to compete and stuff like this. Like, do you want to win? Or is it, do you know what I'm saying, or is it, you just go out there, you do your best, and whatever happens, happens, and you feel good about it. Like, you know what I mean? Like that feeling when you, like, lose a softball game, you're like, Oh, I put all this effort and we didn't win. Does that feel like that?

Alyssa 6:03
Yeah, it's a little bit of both, to be honest. But for me, the winning was not OmniPod. I want to be Miss Iowa. It was I want to be Miss Iowa because of what it would mean for the diabetes community, and that was really my guiding light throughout the whole thing. Because, yes, it's cool to say I miss Iowa, but seeing the reaction of people who see my CGM and then show me their devices, seeing people who reach out to me or comment on my posts saying they now feel okay with having diabetes because they've seen someone, either in their state or in a space that maybe they're a part of where they don't feel represented, actually be seen invisible, that's always been my my biggest urge to win, and so in my little speech after I won, I made sure to say, you know, this is a win for not just me, but for the diabetes community. But the nice thing about about competing is also you meet so many amazing and accomplished women that are all deserving of winning, and it's both very humbling but also very inspiring, because they are so kind. It's not at all like, you know, Toddlers and Tiaras. It's a little bit more like Miss Congeniality, where you actually get along and you make lifelong friends. I mean, in my crowning video, you can find it on YouTube, one of my best friends is behind me, literally off the floor, in her full length dress and heels, jumping up and down because she was so excited for me so it doesn't feel as competitive as maybe a sports arena or event, because you're all rooting each other on and knowing that your own capabilities are deserving to win as well. Yeah, it's

Scott Benner 7:33
not like, then when my daughter was playing softball and we would just get real close and be like, don't forget why we're here to make those other girls cry. Get out there and kick their ass. Nothing like that, right? Okay, hey, by the way, um, may seem off topic to you, but Michael Caine, who is in miscon Miss Congeniality, the actor, picks his roles. He's very old now I probably is not acting anymore, but he was picking his roles by the weather. So if, if it was cold where he lived, he'd pick a warm weather shoot. And that's how he would pick a script. And if it was warm where he lived, he'd pick a cooler weather shoot to get away from the honestly kind of smart he was using acting like a second home. It's fantastic. And I don't know you said, Miss Congeniality. And I thought, Oh, Michael Caine was in that. I don't know why I thought any of that. So, okay, so you go to you do these little things, and you keep moving up and, I mean, the truth is, is it's such a, I mean, from my perspective, it's such a an interesting mix of things that they're judging right, like, so obviously, you're, you're a little kid. They're not judging your body or but they are judging looks, though, to some degree, are they not, or is it just, how is it weighted? I guess is my question. What's

Alyssa 8:43
really cool about the Miss America organization and Miss Iowa program is it's not based on who the prettiest is on stage by any means. It's a lot about scholarship and service. So I won about $12,000 in scholarship just by winning Miss Iowa that I'm able to put towards student loans and a master's degree, which is life changing, because I had to pay my way through college. And as an educator, it's really hard to pay back student loans, and so it's really nice to have that scholarship opportunity. So they really emphasize furthering your education and also your intellect, as well as your service, which again, is a huge part of my guiding force and guiding factor of even competing, because it helped me so much to realize that I could help other people, and seeing how you can do that on the state level and even the national level. I mean, is just so rewarding and so life changing. So focusing on those two elements. I mean, if you look up our Miss America, she is incredible. She's honestly overqualified. She has her own nonprofit for pancreatic cancer. She's the first active duty military officer to win Miss America. I mean, she and she's so kind as well. So it's really about you know who you are and your dedication to service and furthering your education. It's

Scott Benner 9:57
interesting. I like that. It seems more modern than. I recall it growing up, yes, because, like, I'm not gonna listen. I'm 52 How old are you? You're, wait, I'm 24 Yeah, you were diagnosed in 11. Yeah, I got it. I mean, it was a bikini contest when I was growing up. It really was like, you know, it's nice to see how it's grown. I guess is what I'm getting at. Because it used to feel like, I don't know the prettiest girl from a state picked up a flute and was like, there, it's my that's what. I'm good. I played a flute and you're like, you don't play the flute. So people who are older, like me, who remember it like that, wouldn't recognize this. This is almost, I was almost gonna say, like, the Cub Scouts, but maybe it is a little bit about, like, learning, doing, helping, being a leader. Kind of that idea from the very beginning, your kids mean everything to you. That means you do anything for them, especially if they're at risk. So when it comes to type one diabetes screen, it like you mean it now up to 90% of type one diagnosis, have no family history, but if you have a family history, you are up to 15 times more likely to develop type one screen it like you mean it, because type one diabetes can develop at any age, and once you get results, you can get prepared for your child's future. So screen it like you mean it type one starts long before there are symptoms, but one blood test could help you spot it early before they need insulin, and could lower the risk of serious complications like diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA. Talk to your doctor about how to screen for type one diabetes, because the more you know, the more you can do. So don't wait, tap now or visit screened for type one.com to learn more. Again, that's screened for type one.com and screen it like you mean it,

Alyssa 11:56
yes. What's really cool that I appreciate is in I think it was 2018 Miss America actually got rid of the swimsuit portion entirely, and recently they added health and fitness, which is much less about how you look in active wear, but rather what your definition of healthy is and being confident in who you are. And I really love that I was not the thinnest person on stage, by any means, but I was showing how confident I was with all the hard work I put into managing my diabetes, and I got to talk about that on stage. And so honestly, for me, it's a really cool outlet to share even more of a glimpse into my diabetes journey and show that healthy might look different for certain people, and that just because I have diabetes. It's actually a joke. My dad and I have he also has type one. We always say, you know, despite our diabetes, we're the healthiest people we know, and so getting to showcase that is something I think is really neat.

Scott Benner 12:51
How old was your dad when he's diagnosed?

Alyssa 12:53
He was 13, so he's lived with it for, gosh, 43 years now.

Scott Benner 12:59
Did you guys talk about his diabetes prior to your diagnosis, or was it a thing that wasn't really or you might not remember, you're only 10, probably. But like, do you remember knowing a lot about his type one before you had it yourself?

Alyssa 13:11
I didn't know a whole lot, to be honest, because I was so young that I don't think my parents understood that I would understand it, you know, but I at least saw him doing it, but in my mind, I was like, Oh yeah, my dad just has to take shots at dinner. It wasn't ever Oh, this is because of his diabetes. And I also remember there were times growing up he would have really bad low reactions because he couldn't feel his low blood sugars. Now, this was before CGMS were really a thing or even marketed to the mass public. So there'd be times where he'd be, you know, almost seeming intoxicated, or like he was on drugs, because his blood sugar was so low that I grew up having to know to call 911, and how to get people there so my mom could try to get him juice or get him something, or glucagon. So those things were part of my life, but I didn't understand that was because of diabetes. I just thought, that's how dad is me being naive and and thinking, Oh, this is my dad. But then once I was diagnosed, the dots kind of connected for me. And my dad actually felt really guilty for a really long time about thinking it was his fault that I got diabetes, and actually, my brother was just diagnosed last year. He's older than me, so he had that same emotion when my brother was just diagnosed, that he felt like he did it to us. Oh, it always makes me emotional to talk about, but really, it's kind of nice to have someone else in my family that I can relate to and ask for guidance from, because he takes care of his diabetes so well, especially knowing that my brother and I have it, and he's just been a great role model throughout the whole thing. So if anything, I'm actually really grateful that we both are kind of in it together. I say we're DIA buddies.

Scott Benner 14:52
Your brother was just diagnosed. How old is he?

Alyssa 14:54
He was 26 when he was diagnosed, so he was significantly

Scott Benner 14:58
older. And do you have any other brothers or sisters? Nope. It's

Alyssa 15:02
just us, too.

Scott Benner 15:03
And is there any other autoimmune happening, like celiac, thyroid, anything like that? No.

Alyssa 15:09
I mean, knock on wood, not yet. I was tested for celiac, but I don't have it. We're very fortunate, but it's interesting, because also my grandmother, on my mom's side, has type one. So there are four people in my family that have it, and I'm getting it from both sides. So honestly, yeah, to happen?

Scott Benner 15:27
Alyssa, colloquially, that's known as screwed. So your dad has type one on so in your father's side, on your mother's side, your mom's mom, yes, oh, is that sort of how maybe your mom and dad got together,

Alyssa 15:42
actually, no, no. Their story, okay, this is a this is a tangent, but their love story is kind of insane. So my parents worked at a grocery store together, and they dated for approximately a month before my dad proposed, and they were engaged for only a year and a half, which sounds long, but they were long distance for all of it. And then they didn't live together, really, until they got married, and they're still together 30 some years later.

Scott Benner 16:11
Yo, your mom hot or something. What's going on there? Your dad tried real hard there. You know what I mean?

Alyssa 16:15
Listen, I asked if it was like a shotgun wedding or something. And they say, No,

Scott Benner 16:20
I'm telling you right now, one generation later, if a guy liked you that much, you'd call the cops and tell him to keep him away from you. Feel like, Oh, this guy's a little too into it. You know what I mean, it's become a fun story to share with people. Yeah, no, it's nice. But my thought was, is that when they when your mom was younger, she wasn't put off by diabetes in a mate because her mom had it. Maybe, you know what I mean, like, it was something she was accustomed to. Yes, do you have any idea it's so interesting. So what kind of gear does your dad use now, diabetes stuff? He

Alyssa 16:53
uses a Dexcom g6 and an OmniPod. He just got the OmniPod not even a year ago, I think, and he really loves it. He never had a pump before. He's a very active person. I mean, in the summer, he does the JDRF bike ride. He is always outside, either building something or gardening. He's always out and about. So he always thought the pumps that had the tubing would be in the way. So he's very adamant about doing MDI, and then he would have the OmniPod, and he really loves that. Now I have the FreeStyle Libre, so I'm still waiting to get that connected to an OmniPod, and then I'll definitely be on that. But he really loves that. But he always talks about how different it is compared to when he was first diagnosed. I mean, he started out taking one shot a day, peeing on a stick to see if he had ketones, and eating a very structured diet every single day. To now being so flexible with a pump and a CGM, which weren't even a thing when he was diagnosed, your dad

Scott Benner 17:55
may have started on beef and pork insulin. That might be how long ago he did this and animal insulin, then maybe it moved to mph and regular at some point, but he would have been on those structured eating plans. Is he a fit person today? Still? Yes, very. The reason I ask is because I do a lot of management series with a woman named Jenny Smith, and she's a CDE, but also her she was diagnosed years and years ago to some kind of more Midwestern parents who put her on a very, like, structured eating schedule, and she's a fit, good eater to this day. It's interesting, but it's interesting because I think you have to have the personality for it. Like, I think there are some people who could, if they were intersected with that, like, Hey, we're gonna eat like this. Now they might rebel against it, but some people like it. So it makes me think that maybe your dad either didn't have a choice or was okay with the program, and then it actually built up a lifestyle for him.

Alyssa 18:53
I think it did. I mean, he definitely had his rebellious years, as he's told me, where he didn't necessarily want to take care of his diabetes, which we now know is, I mean diabetes burnout, and yeah, I had my own experience with that as well in high school, but especially when he was first diagnosed, he was the only one in his family that had it, and also he's adopted, so he didn't know anything about his family history. So it really was a big surprise for them. I think his blood sugar was in the seven hundreds when he was diagnosed. I mean, the fact that he was able to lead a healthy life and still be, you know, a picture of health today is just

Scott Benner 19:31
amazing. That's wonderful. Did it carry over to you? Do you kind of eat and take care of yourself the way he does?

Alyssa 19:37
Yes, but it is very different living with diabetes now versus when I was diagnosed versus when he was diagnosed. So they started me on a very structured, specific carb count. So I took the same insulin every time, and my a, 1c when I went back, was like 5.8 I was killing it. And then once they put me on the flexible, you know, ratio. So that's when it was a little more challenging with puberty. Yeah, puberty with diabetes is not for the faint of heart. It is not fun, as I'm sure you know. But

Scott Benner 20:11
yeah, I know, don't worry. I know

Alyssa 20:14
it was, it was rough, especially for me, because I was, I was almost 12 when I was diagnosed. It was my first week of Middle School, which is so much fun anyway, adding diabetes on top of that is even more fun. And my honeymoon phase actually ended as my puberty kind of really ramped up. So that mixed together was just chaos, yeah. So once I got into college and I got a CGM for the first time. I mean, my ANC was just so much better, and I was eating better, and so now I'm a lot more like my dad, where there's some flexibility, but I'm really able to take care of myself, which is great.

Scott Benner 20:52
Yeah, when I jump back, you said that you experienced some burnout in high school. What did that look like

Alyssa 20:56
for me? It was not always taking insulin for snacks. I always took insulin for meals, but if I was hungry, I would just eat, because that's what other people my age were doing. And from the time I was diagnosed until I graduated high school, I was the only person with diabetes in my graduating class of about 400 people, and I was bullied because of it, especially that first week when I went back to school, people just didn't understand what I was going through. They thought it was unfair that I got to leave class sometimes, even though it was to deal with a low blood sugar, which is one of the worst feelings in the world. They thought it was unfair that I got to be in the front of the lunch line, but they didn't see myself giving injections before lunch, and that's why I had to leave early. I mean, I just felt so misunderstood, and I longed to be quote, unquote normal and like my peers, that I wanted to hide my diabetes and I didn't want anyone to address it. So if we were out to eat for a field trip, I would wait to take my insulin until my blood sugar was already too high, or I didn't take insulin for snacks, I didn't always check my blood sugars as often as I should have, and when I got to about my senior year, I realized one I needed to take care of myself, especially if I was going off to college, because I did not want to have to be dependent on my family if something were to happen. But also, I just started to really embrace it. I got a friend group that asked great questions and were there to really uplift me through it, and I started realizing that if people didn't like my diabetes and that was their problem, and not mine. Yeah,

Scott Benner 22:31
I'm gonna ask some questions, you're not gonna understand why I'm asking for a minute. But okay, what do your parents do for a living?

Alyssa 22:38
My mom is a kindergarten teacher, and my dad works for the government. Okay, do

Scott Benner 22:43
you know your IQ?

Alyssa 22:44
I do not. I probably should, though,

Scott Benner 22:47
here's why I'm asking you are so agile. Conversationally, I got your IQ in the 130s maybe. Oh, so I know I've talked to a lot of people. I want to know you. Please go take an IQ test and get back to me. Okay, yeah. So at first I thought, oh, Alyssa is just a practice speaker because of the pageant system, right? I truly think if I said to you, maple trees or oak trees, which do you prefer? I think you and I could have, like, a thoughtful conversation about it. Oh, absolutely, I'm already thinking of an answer? And I know, I think it comes from, like, that kind of agility comes from intelligence. And so you're really, like, You're a wonderful speaker, and thank you. No no, no, please. And you've got that, like, middle of the country, I can't tell where you're from, no accent, accent, which is fantastic. Like, you enunciate all your words. You complete your thoughts. I tried to take you into a circle and then ask you a question, and you still answered it. And I was like, she's really good at this, but, but seriously, like you're a teacher now,

Alyssa 23:50
yes, I'm a music teacher. Oh, I

Scott Benner 23:52
was gonna ask, What are you teaching? Because those kids are gonna really know it when it's over.

Alyssa 23:56
Well, I love music theory, which is basically a sudoku puzzle for music, so I'm hoping they can understand that complicated topic when I teach it. Well, some

Scott Benner 24:07
of them aren't. Some are gonna be little dummies, but that's not your fault. But seriously, like I feel like you could have done anything you wanted to do. The contour next gen blood glucose meter is sponsoring this episode of The juicebox podcast, and it's entirely possible that it is less expensive in cash than you're paying right now for your meter through your insurance company. That's right. If you go to my link, contour, next.com/juicebox, you're going to find links to Walmart, Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, Rite, aid, Kroger and Meyer, you could be paying more right now through your insurance for your test strips in meter than you would pay through my link for the contour next gen and contour next test strips in cash. What am I saying? My link may be cheaper out of your pocket than you're paying right now, even with. Your insurance, and I don't know what meter you have right now, I can't say that, but what I can say for sure is that the contour next gen meter is accurate. It is reliable, and it is the meter that we've been using for years. Contour next.com/juicebox and if you already have a contour meter and you're buying test strips, doing so through the juicebox podcast link will help to support the show. This episode of The juicebox podcast is sponsored by Eversense, and Eversense is the implantable CGM that lasts six months. Eversense cgm.com/juicebox Have you ever been running out the door and knocked your CGM off, or had somewhere to be and realized that your adhesive was about to fall off? That won't happen with Eversense. Ever since won't get sweaty and slide off. It won't bang into a door jam, and it lasts six months, not just a couple days or a week, the Eversense CGM has a silicon based adhesive forge transmitter, which you change every day. So it's not one of those super sticky things that's designed to stay on you forever and ever, even though we know they don't work sometimes, but that's not the point, because it's not that kind of adhesive. You shouldn't see any skin irritations. So if you've had skin irritations with other products, maybe you should try Eversense, unique, implantable and accurate. So if you're tired of dealing with things falling off or being too sticky or not sticky enough, or not staying on for the life of the sensor, you probably want to check out Eversense. Eversense, cgm.com, dot com, slash juicebox, links in the show notes. Links at juicebox podcast.com.

Alyssa 26:49
Oh, well, thank you. Did

Scott Benner 26:50
you have that feeling? No, no, no, you don't have to be too nice to me. Did you have that feeling in college? Did were you like I have endless possibilities here?

Alyssa 26:58
I don't know. Actually, all I knew is so I'm very type A and I'm also someone that is very stubborn and determined. So growing up with my mom as a kindergarten teacher, I would see the chaos that happens in the kindergarten room, and I said, I'm never, ever being a teacher. And she was very aware of that. I was so vocal about it, but I knew I wanted to do something with music, and that does limit some of your possibilities, because you do have to pay the bills, and music doesn't always do that. So I went to school with just a music major, knowing this is what I really love to do, and I want to find some sort of outlet where I can use music. I mean, just like how I got into pageants, it was music was a big part of my life. Yeah. And then when I was in college, I started tutoring people, and, you know, at the top of my classes, and I just realized, Oh, I I really have an affinity for teaching and explaining things for people, and a talent for that. Why don't I? Well, no, just

Scott Benner 27:56
Yeah, it's because you see things clearly and quickly. I think that's

Alyssa 28:00
what it is. And I do really understand music I mean, I loved music theory, not to brag, but I got a five on the AP exam, which was a big deal. Alyssa, listen, I mean,

Scott Benner 28:10
I've known you for 25 minutes, and I'd adopt you a few stuff that happened to your parents right now. Because I think you're I think you're a winner. You see what I'm saying. I think we can make some money off you. I'm not talking like that, but No, but seriously, like, do you play instruments? I

Alyssa 28:23
do I actually play eight instruments? Well, that's what I was

Scott Benner 28:26
gonna say. You probably play multiple instruments, which is a clear indication of intelligence.

Unknown Speaker 28:31
Well,

Scott Benner 28:33
no stop. Have your parents never bumped pumped you up like this? I

Alyssa 28:38
really did. But also I I just think I have a lot of intrinsic motivation. And, yeah, the things that I excel at are things I really love to do. So I don't feel like I'm working for it.

Scott Benner 28:48
Try having that, that motivation with a 90 IQ, it ain't gonna go the same, okay, right? So, like, and not, by the way, 90 is a fantastic IQ. Like, if you're, if your IQ is out there is 90, like, you're killing it. Like, but I'm saying that those extra points, I think we're getting into a spot a list of where I'm now talking about stuff that you I don't usually say on the podcast, but I just say privately, those last 20 IQ points is where, is where you see something like that. Like, you know, like, there's an average IQ where lovely people exist, and there's a slightly higher one. You can see people a little more agile, meaning they can kind of think into layers. This is the way I think about it anyway, like the way thoughts layer on top of each other, and one thing supports the next and and you start getting perspective from a 360 instead of from a singular perspective. So some people look at the world through their eyes. They see that perspective, and some people say in the middle of the sphere, and can see all around them. I think the amount that you can see around you in that 360 at some point becomes about just computing power. And we can say it's intelligence, but it's, it's like, RAM, you know what I mean? Like, you can, you know, it's so funny we talk. Talked about this before we started. The kids don't know how computers work, but your computer has memory in it, right? And it's this, it's this place where it does its processing. It's how much space it has to think. And I think of IQ points sort of the same way, like the more space you have to think, the more things you can consider at the same time. And when you really see a clear person, I think they're clear because they can hold a lot of different ideas at the same time and juxtapose them against each other. And I realize just now that my son heard me say that he'd be like, Why did you have to say juxtaposed? Trying to say smart, but no, because that's really the word I want to use there. And so I should have just said out loud, I know you play multiple instruments. How many do you play? Because I had it in my heart already that you could play a lot of instruments. You might be undervaluing yourself. I

Alyssa 30:47
feel like I'm very humble, and that's probably the most humble thing I could say, that I'm very humble. No,

Scott Benner 30:52
no, I think it's possible I find you in 20 years and you're doing something that's a lot bigger than not that what you're doing now isn't lovely, but I think it's possible that you continue to grow as a person and find bigger and bigger things to do, because I think you can handle them. I

Alyssa 31:08
mean, that is the goal. That is the goal I want to I want to keep whether I stay in teaching or not. I do want to continue diabetes advocacy, whether it's professionally or, you know, just out of,

Scott Benner 31:23
ooh, Alyssa, you're gone. Hold on a second in this community. Hey, Alyssa, you disappeared. Go back to advocacy for me.

Alyssa 31:29
Can you hear me? Okay, yeah, you came back. Okay, perfect. So sorry, no, it's

Scott Benner 31:35
you live in Iowa, right?

Alyssa 31:38
Don't you have an Iowa

Scott Benner 31:39
right now? Like, aren't you grinding corn to make fuel to run the generator so your internet works or something like

Alyssa 31:45
that? No, no. I live in the Des Moines area, which is our state capital. Okay, this is a side story in

Scott Benner 31:51
the city. Go ahead.

Alyssa 31:52
I'm sorry. Yes, I live in a city, but when I lived in Chicago for one year for my freshman year of college, before I moved back to Des Moines, it was a little too big for me, for the Iowa gal, but when I met someone, they first of all thought I was in Ohio, because we always get confused for Ohio or Idaho. And their first thought was, So, what's it like living on a farm?

Scott Benner 32:16
Well, it's my first thought. But yeah, go ahead,

Alyssa 32:20
exactly. And so I turned him and I said, Well, my dad has a garden, but that's, I mean, that's about it, like, I don't know what you mean. So it's just, it's funny to me when people think that's all of Iowa. We do have cities. They're not huge, but we do have them. I walked

Scott Benner 32:35
into, I did a speaking thing in Kansas City one time, and they picked me up at the airport, and to say it was an airport, I mean, I have a McDonald's bigger than that airport at my house. They're like, Oh, the guy said, I'm to take you into the city. And I was like, okay, it actually felt like, if anybody's ever played SimCity, the city building game on a computer, like, you know, when you put down your first three buildings next to each other, like, that's what the city felt like to me. I was like, Oh, they put five buildings here, over three stories tall, and they think, and this is the city they call it. I'm like, oh, it's fascinating. Like, if I took them to Chicago or to New York or something, their head may explode if they, you know, had so what was that like when you went to Chicago for the first time? You like, oh, hell. Okay, I see it now.

Alyssa 33:17
For me, I grew up going to Chicago. I have family that lives there, and so every year I would go, and I loved to visit, yeah, but it's very different living there than it is just visiting, okay? Because I was right downtown. I had classes on Michigan Avenue. I was in the South Loop. I was, you know, walking everywhere, taking the L train at, you know, 18 years old, as someone who had never lived anywhere other than Iowa. So it was very different living there than visiting. And I just realized it was a little too fast paced for me with how much was changing in my life already, like moving going off to college for the first time. I was just a music major. I didn't have a specific end point or end goal like I did with teaching, yeah, so there's just a lot of change and figuring out for my life that I had to do. And I just realized that Chicago wasn't, wasn't the vibe for me, but it did make me realize how much I love Iowa, so to be able to represent Iowa is just that much more special. Do

Scott Benner 34:20
you have trouble dating or you? But by me, I didn't. I do not. Okay. You met somebody you like and all that.

Alyssa 34:27
Yes, I do have a boyfriend. It's been about three years. Oh, okay,

Scott Benner 34:30
so what were you looking for in a boyfriend?

Alyssa 34:35
I really love a singer with a deep voice, which is very specific. We met in college because we were in the same program. We were both studying music education, and he's an amazing singer. So that initially attracted me, but ultimately, someone who is patient and kind was kind of my which is very vague, but that's something I was really looking for, because I've just heard too many horror stories. Friends who went on dates with guys who were not very nice. Yeah, and I didn't want that to be me, but also I needed someone who would be patient and ready to learn about diabetes, because, again, that's such a big part of my family that it was important for him to know that. And he's been, I mean, he's been great. We keep emergency low snacks by the bed. I mean, he's always wondering how my blood sugar's doing. There was a time where, you know, he came home for Christmas with me, and my dad had a really bad reaction that his CGM didn't catch, and I had to call 911, and he was there to comfort me and help me through it. So, I mean, that's a big thing for me too, yeah. Plus,

Scott Benner 35:38
he's got a deep voice, so that doesn't hurt anything exactly, Hey, your dad. Is he using OmniPod dash or five, five? Okay. Is that helping him? Like, is his life changed pretty significantly because of that. Do you think

Alyssa 35:53
he was actually really, really good with injections? He was always really on top of it, but it has made his life a lot easier. Yeah,

Scott Benner 36:01
let me, let me stop you from it like, but he got low a lot though, right? Yeah. So you know what I mean, not that he wasn't doing well, but he was probably doing well, like, lower a one C's, because his, he was really keeping his blood sugar low, but he was having, I think, too many like, it sounds to me like a lot of excursions were, like, we had to call 911 like, is he having fewer of those on pumping?

Alyssa 36:23
I'd say so. I think he stopped having so many when he got the CGM too the CGM was honestly more life saving, in my opinion, for him, just because he's never been able to feel his low blood sugars ever. Yeah, and being able to hear that and do damage control before it gets too low. Is is really amazing, because a lot of times it'll happen in the night and he can't wake up. So then my mom has to, you know, wake up in the middle of the night and take care of him, or he, you know, ends up collapsing or something. So having the CGM really helped. And then there were probably only two in between the CGM and getting the OmniPod, yeah, that he had that were, unfortunately just undetected by the CGM. But

Scott Benner 37:09
I'm glad for him that he has that stuff. You know, where he keeps his a 1c

Alyssa 37:13
he's around six, he he does really, really, well, yeah,

Scott Benner 37:17
I would imagine, like now having had type one for as long as you have, which is what, like, 13 years. She said, Right,

Alyssa 37:24
yep.

Scott Benner 37:25
How would you describe your management at this point? Like, are you down to, like, the nitty gritty? Are you looking at fat and protein in your meals to stop later rises? Are you, you know, manipulating it more with how you eat? Like, what is it you do day to day that leads to your successes in

Alyssa 37:42
health. Yeah, actually, this year as Miss Iowa, because I'm constantly on the road. I've traveled more than 40,000 miles this year, and which is a lot for those who don't realize that learning how to deal with flexibility, because when I'm just teaching your day is really structured, but when I'm traveling from county to county, or even to other parts of the country, that throws things off. So learning how to adapt to flexibility has been a really huge part of my year, and I feel like I've done it really well. I also have personal trainers this year, which has been really helpful, because I didn't realize, and this is where you might take back your comment about me being really smart. I didn't realize that protein was such an important part in stabilizing your blood sugar. No one ever told me about that, and I just didn't realize it. So I went from, I mean, I still had protein in my in my day to day life, but I've really been prioritizing that, especially in the morning, because I have a really bad Dawn effect, okay, where I wake up and it just starts to rise for no reason at all, which is really fun. So prioritizing protein has been a big part of my management, and that's really helped me level out my blood sugars a lot so I see fewer spikes, which has been great, but otherwise, I mean, it's kind of the things I've been doing that are second nature. I well,

Scott Benner 39:07
don't, don't confuse being young with not being intelligent, like you still have to have experiences to learn things. But yeah, so you're doing so you open your eyes, your blood sugar starts going up,

Alyssa 39:20
basically, I mean, it could be in the 80s all night, like perfect, and then I'll wake up, shower, look at my phone, and it rises to, like, 150 Yeah, so without eating anything,

Scott Benner 39:31
let me ask you this, you, you, I, you identified yourself earlier as a type A personality, yes. So do you wake up and start really thinking about what you have to do?

Alyssa 39:41
Oh, I think about it before I even wake up. I sometimes have dreams about what I have to do the next day. Yeah,

Scott Benner 39:48
that's probably why your blood sugar goes up in the morning. You might have what they call feet on the floor. And it might not. It might be less about a dawn phenomenon, and because, if you're you. Sleeping in the 80s, and your blood sugar's literally not going up until you you start your day. There's a little difference between Dawn phenomenon and feet on the floor. And it feet on the floor just kind of means like when I stand up and I and life hits me, that adrenaline and the cortisol pop gets you, and then you're suddenly the amount of insulin that was good to keep you stable overnight at 85 is not enough to stop what's happening. You're getting a an actual impact on your blood sugar from that. It's seriously, well, there's no way to think about it, because you'll just, you'll just think about it make your blood sugar. My easiest example is that my daughter is very specific about doing well in school, and I didn't really know that about her. I have two kids, but my daughter's a little bit of a blend of my wife and I in one specific way. So my wife's very like, type A, get it done. Do a good job. It's important to do a good job. And I'm more like, it'll be fine, right? So my daughter has an it'll be fine attitude with an underlying of, oh my god, I gotta get this right. And she'd go to school and need more insulin all day, like more basal, more aggressive insulin sensitivity, like everything throughout the day. But the minute school ended, her blood sugar would start to fall because the the release was there, like she wasn't worried or thinking about school anymore. And I do wonder if maybe that's not something that's happening to you. Interesting.

Alyssa 41:27
I would not be surprised actually, now that you say that when I'm in stressful situations, I mean, my blood sugar will shoot up to the three hundreds. I'm like, what happened? Yeah, you know,

Scott Benner 41:37
yeah, you're not as you're not as chill on the inside as you are on the outside right? Because on the on the outside, you seem really You seem chill, you seem chill and thoughtful, but your brain's racing. Maybe, is that possible?

Alyssa 41:50
I think that's what it is. I also do have anxiety, which just paired with diabetes already, is not very fun, because then you're anxious about your diabetes, and then you see your blood sugar go up, and you're like, Oh, wow. Now I'm more anxious, which will just make it higher and higher, which is so fun.

Scott Benner 42:06
Actual loop of of it just keeping itself spinning right, right?

Alyssa 42:10
But I've noticed my blood sugar also tends to hang out a little bit lower in the evening. I don't always necessarily drop low, but it tends to be a little lower in my range than throughout the day. So that's when you really consider, yeah,

Scott Benner 42:26
when you relax, right? Yeah, that's how you learn things exactly. Okay. Why did you want to come on the podcast?

Alyssa 42:37
I had heard about it through it was actually a post from beyond type one that said, here are some good diabetes podcasts to listen to. So I was listening to it. And I just love that you share people's stories, and it's really real, and that's something that I feel like the diabetes community needs, because you can see posts by nonprofits all the time, but until you really hear someone's story, that's when you start to feel less alone. And I just realized, oh my gosh, I would love to do that. And then I think someone had commented like tagged me on Facebook, when you made a post in the group saying, Oh, we're looking for people or whatever. And they said, Oh, Alyssa, would be great for this. And I was like, I never thought about putting myself up for it, but sure, Oh, that's great. That's why I'm

Scott Benner 43:25
here. I have to tell you, I'm having a lovely time talking to you. I wasn't kidding. I would happily adopt you, and especially now that you're not really financially like needing of me, I'm gonna make it an admission to you, right when you reached out, I was like, am I going to talk to miss Iowa? Like, what are we going to talk about? You know what I mean? Like, what are we going to like, what are we going to talk about? And is she going to tell me about picking dresses? And, you know, like, I'm like, because I don't know how long I can do that for exactly like, I can muster that up for my daughter, you know what I mean. But like, I don't do it a lot with a lot of other people. I just want people to realize that, like, this is the example of why you talk to so many different people, because you just really, until you get to know them, all you have is your supposition, and you're often incorrect, you know. Like, I'm not saying that I thought you were going to be ditzy. And like, you know, like, I didn't have that feeling I'm being serious. Like, I didn't think that, but I did wonder, like, would you come on here and just want to talk about pageants? Or, you know, when I hear you say, Miss Iowa, like 800,000 times, or something like that. Or would I joke with you? And you'd get stiff because you'd think like, I don't want anybody to hear me from the pageant community, but you are just absolutely lovely. Your parents should be very proud. Oh, you're welcome. Did they do this? Or is this you? Is this a nature, nurture thing, or what do we got here?

Alyssa 44:48
I think both. I mean, my parents are amazing. My mom was born to be a mom, and my dad has been a great role model for me, like I said with. Diabetes, he will. He's also so proud that anywhere he goes, he will say he will somehow find a way to bring up, oh, my daughter's Miss Iowa. I'm like, Dad, you're talking to a random person on the street, and it wasn't part of the conversation. He just brings it up. He's very proud, yeah. So yes, they are proud of me and my mom. It's funny. I went to her school for a school visit, because I like to do presentations on, you know, diabetes and, you know, accomplishing things despite your obstacles that you may face. And so I went to her kindergarten classroom. I said, Well, if I'm a princess, what does that make my mom like a queen? So now they always say hi queen, to her at school, and it's really cute.

Scott Benner 45:44
That's very nice. Do you bring the magic wand with you and the hat? When you talk to people? Definitely

Alyssa 45:50
the hat, my sparkly hat, but I don't have a magic wand. I do have a sash. And I tell kids, it's like a big name tag. It's to the point where if someone says, Miss Iowa, I will whip my head around and respond. So that's going to be really hard to get used to when I'm not miss

Scott Benner 46:04
Iowa anymore. I'm trying to figure out what Hermione Granger's wand was called, because, I think, because I imagined you with a scepter, if I'm being honest, where you touch people and Knight them. But I guess they don't give you that power, right?

Alyssa 46:15
No, unfortunately, not. So

Scott Benner 46:17
did you say that you so once you're Miss Iowa, then you then you go to Miss America. Yes. How was that so now I'm gonna completely sound like a hypocrite. What was that experience like? Did it feel like you went from like minor league baseball to like the pros or like or is it all about the same? It's just the names different on the on the show.

Alyssa 46:39
It did feel a little bit like stepping up to the big leagues. I mean, the production was next level. We had choreographers, flown in, we had a hair and makeup team. I mean, things that Iowa just we don't have. I competed against like 17 other women, which is still, I mean, 17 other women who are all accomplished and amazing and talented. I mean, that's still tough. But then you're also competing against girls who come from, like, my friend, she's amazing, she's Miss Texas. She compete against like 60 other girls. That's more than the amount of people that even compete at Miss America. So you're like, How can I compete with that? There's a lot of imposter syndrome going on for sure, just knowing I came from a smaller state, and seeing like how many girls I was surrounded by who are so qualified and so just accomplished. But then you also have to remember, well, I'm here for a reason, and Iowa is no less of a state than a Texas or California or Hawaii, we're just all very different. So I just kind of focused on making friends and making memories. Because for me, the dream was always miss Iowa. It was just honestly a cherry on top to go to Miss America and experience it. And I had a wonderful time. I did not win a single award, and I still am so proud of of what I did and what I accomplished?

Scott Benner 48:00
Were you referencing Avery Bishop. She was

Alyssa 48:05
Miss Texas last year. Texas is Ellie bro, and she was actually first Turner up to Miss America. She is the kindest human. I love her so much. Wow.

Scott Benner 48:14
And so you guys make kind of lifelong friends doing this too. Oh, absolutely.

Alyssa 48:17
I mean, it's kind of the really cool thing is you have friends in every state now, plus Washington DC. So if I travel, I know that I have a place to stay, which is really nice on a teacher salary. I

Scott Benner 48:31
have to tell you that you that you were thoughtful enough to include for people, that Washington DC is not a state. I think that's the core of who you are right there. That was fantastic. You were, like, so many states, plus Washington, DC, which, as you know, is not a state.

Alyssa 48:47
I can't forget my DC girl, she's great, no,

Scott Benner 48:51
but Alyssa, that you took the time to make sure that, like, if you just said, like, you know, all the states, it would be, you wouldn't have to, I don't know, you wouldn't have to qualify like that. That that was, I don't know if that's the teacher in you, or there's something specific about how you think. I can't tell, but that was what you're like, that's the District of Columbia. It's like, yes, it's not a state. I don't know if you guys knew that or not, and but you weren't. You weren't coming off as like, like showing that you had this information. You were just making sure everybody was aware. I love that that was really nice. Oh my god. I don't know why this is I was so amused by that. I gotta let that go. You have this boyfriend for a few years now, this guy that you've that you've obviously molded into the person you need him to be. And now he now he behaves, and he's, he's right. And you're 24 and you're who you are. You're thinking about getting married or no, yes, that's definitely on the radar. Oh yeah. I mean, I can smell it on you by the time you're 27 for sure, right?

Alyssa 49:47
Yeah. I think I've always said, now this is the type a in me to just lay out my life. I've always said, at 25 I'll consider an engagement, not even I'll get engaged. I'll consider an engagement at 25 and then at. 30, that's when I'll, you know, start thinking about kids. I don't know why I mapped out my life that way, but that's kind of the the general progression. So then by the time I'm 25 it'll been like three and a half, four years. And I think that's a great, a great timeline.

Scott Benner 50:12
Oh no, I got you that that kid doesn't know I you. He doesn't know you already have his life worked out pretty well. So he's just absolutely, yeah, you better be saving for a ring, is what I was thinking. But my question was, you identified your mom as somebody who you felt like was born to be a mother, and you seem like very nurturing, and now you're telling me you do want kids. My question is, do you think about that anguish you saw your father go through? Boy this is going to turn having watched his kids be diagnosed, and does that give you any pause about children, or does it just make you think about it differently? Yeah,

Alyssa 50:47
this has been honestly a big topic in my life that I've thought of, because when I was first diagnosed, I'd say when I was going through puberty and was really experiencing my burnout, I kind of swore off having kids. Totally I was like, I'm not having them. There'd be a higher, high risk pregnancy for me. I know I would feel the same way that my dad did, even though I don't blame him at all, I know I would feel the same way he did, because when when I was diagnosed, he had to drive separate to the hospital, which was about 40 minutes away, where they had an endocrinology unit for pediatrics, and he had to drive separate because he was crying the whole time. Yeah, and when my brother was diagnosed on the phone, my mom was talking to my brother when he was in the ER, and my dad said I did it to another one. That was his first reaction. I'm sorry. And even though I mean, and that just breaks my heart, because I would never, ever consider that my dad's fault. It's just, it's just our genetics. We can't control that, sure, and I know I would feel the same way. So I've actually thought about, especially with my dad, being adopted, I've actually thought about adoption, and that's something that honestly really early on my boyfriend and I had just kind of mentioned is, yeah, adoption is a great way to go, just because it for now, would still be a pretty high risk pregnancy for me, and I don't want to have to live with that guilt if I were to have a child with diabetes. Yes, I'd be a great mentor for them, and I would still love them just the same. It would not affect how I feel for them, but living with that get will be really hard. Well, Alyssa, I

Scott Benner 52:24
don't want to crush your your your plan there, but your dad's parents adopted him and got a kid with diabetes.

Alyssa 52:31
I know. I

Scott Benner 52:33
know. So what do you mean? Like, you imagine if you adopted a kid that got type one diabetes, you'd be like, Oh my god, don't you. So here, let me put you in that scenario. You have the thought you have you adopt a kid, the kid ends up getting type one diabetes. Do you ever think I could have just made a baby myself? And right? Isn't life weird? That is true. Listen, there's no planning, is what I'm trying to teach you. But I'm not sure if you're getting it or not. Yeah, you can't plan. What you could do is prepare yourself to believe what you said, which is that this is a genetic thing, and that I have no control over this whatsoever, that none of us have any control over anything, because I would be afraid for you that you would adopt a baby that one day, I don't know, couldn't poop, right? And you'd be like, Oh, see, this kid has a problem too. They're all gonna have a problem. Because I think a lot of people have medical issues. That's true. I think some people get it into their heads that like an illness is something that doesn't happen to other people. If it's happening to you, then you think it doesn't happen to other people, and if it doesn't happen to you, you just think, oh, that's something that happens to other people. You know what I mean? I think the truth is, the longer I do this podcast, the more people I talk to, the more you realize that everybody sort of has something that they're dealing with, you know? So I don't know, I've talked to you for a while now. I'd like to see more kids that think like you on the planet. So with a nice, deep voice, yes,

Unknown Speaker 54:03
yes,

Scott Benner 54:04
that's what I want.

Alyssa 54:05
I mean, I'm still that's the thing. I'm still young, and if I go by my plan, I still have about six years until I have kids, so I do have plenty of time to think about it, and who knows. I mean, by then, with how the landscape of diabetes has changed just the past five years. I can't imagine how much it will change throughout the next five years. Yeah, I just, I mean,

Scott Benner 54:27
I'm sorry. I just interviewed a woman yesterday whose son used the T Zeald. So his sister had type one. They got the family screen. The boy had three markers. He qualified for tz old took it, and now they're hoping that it holds off his type one for years, possibly. And you know, who knows where, like, even that drug will lead and what it'll come up with, or how much better these algorithms will get for insulin pumps and things like that. Like, there's so much stuff moving forward, it doesn't. Look anything like when your dad grew up? Honestly? Oh,

Alyssa 55:03
absolutely. And the screenings are so much more accurate. Now, what's interesting is my so my brother, when I was diagnosed, he was screened through the the trial net screenings, and he didn't have any of the markers for it at the time. And of course, I mean things change. He also so I always say, like, of course this would happen for me with certain, certain scenarios. So like, the adoption thing, when you said, What are the chances you would get, you know, a kid that ends up having diabetes anyway, I would say, well, that's just how my life is going to go. Because my brother, when he was diagnosed, he had just moved to Texas, like, four months prior. Like, of course, that happened. Of course, it was when you moved, you know, halfway across the country, of course. Because why wouldn't it? Well, that's things like that.

Scott Benner 55:49
Yeah. That's just how it goes. You ever noticed how many people are diagnosed on like, vacation or on Halloween, yeah, or you have breaks in school? Like, what I really think is, is what happens, is the diagnosis has happened when people's lives slow down enough that they can see what's going on around them, they have time to think about it. That's why they catch it on vacation, because on vacation, they're not thinking about a million other things like they are during the that that's been my, my assumption from from hearing so many people's stories. I think you'll, uh, I don't know. I think you'll do what you'll do. I think planning for it is tough. My wife told me that before she met me, she wanted to move to New York City, buy an apartment, put all white furniture in it, and never let anybody in there. So it stayed nice and clean. And I was like, Okay. And then I

Alyssa 56:36
wrote a little like, American Psycho. Well, she's

Scott Benner 56:39
a little weird, but no, no, no, she just, she's like, I just had this picture of, like, I think she grew up in a very chaotic house, and I think she, like, was looking for it not to be like that, if that makes sense. Yeah, that's my guess a little bit. I think the the white furniture is more of an allegory for, um, she wanted, like, some calm. But anyway, then we, you know, got married. She didn't expect that to happen. We got pregnant. Nobody expected that to happen. And, like, now I think I've been married, like, 27 years, or something like that, so I should probably buy her a white sofa at some point. You know what I mean, actually, that's a good idea.

Alyssa 57:18
Write it down so you don't forget. No, I'm

Scott Benner 57:20
definitely gonna forget. I want to understand you said you had a libre and you hoped what to so you like libre, but where you need it because of your insurance, you what's your situation there?

Alyssa 57:33
I really love the libre. Personally, I have the libre three. So it's really small. It's a lot like the Dexcom g7 in college, I used the Dexcom g6 and personally, this is nothing against Dexcom. I just had a lot of troubles with it. I know they replace it if you have issues, but it was getting to the point where every sensor I was getting was either faulty or there was one time it still makes me like, shiver. I put it on and the applicator wouldn't detach, so I had to rip the whole thing off. Oh, it was so painful,

Scott Benner 58:09
actually. Um, Alyssa, wait, the g6 wouldn't attach. Yeah, yeah. Do you know what you could have done? This is gonna sound crazy. Oh, no, you could have whacked it with a wooden kitchen spoon once, and it would have released. I can't believe I know that no, because it was like, it was a hack. It was a hack that was going around on the internet. So the applicator, sometimes the applicator got stuck. It didn't happen a lot, but it got stuck. And then if you whacked it, like just I gave it a good thump with a wood spoon, it would I'd like to say the Dexcom to sponsor dexcom.com/juicebox I don't notice anybody talking about it online anymore, like, I think it's a thing that maybe happened, and they figured it out and took care of it, but,

Alyssa 58:52
and I'm sure they they have because my dad loves his Dexcom. My brother has the g7 and he really loves

Scott Benner 58:57
that. That's what my daughter uses. Yeah, it was just, I

Alyssa 59:01
was, I think I was a sophomore in college. I did not have a wooden spoon in my dorm room, unfortunately, a wooden kitchen spoon, yeah. But it was just, you know, trying it over and over again. I was just getting frustrated. And, you know, being a college student, my sophomore year, I had transferred, so I was in a new environment, a new school. So that was also a big change for me. And that's when I was just kind of like, I need something different to try, just to see if I like it. And so I got on the libre too, and I really loved at the time, because they were very different designs. I loved how flat it was, yeah, and kind of how sleek it looked. So I ended up just really loving the libre two, and have stuck with it. But I'm not against using a Dexcom, g7 by any means. Libre

Scott Benner 59:49
three. Libre is great, like but you, but you. What pump are you using? Are

Alyssa 59:54
you not? I'm still an MDI. MDI. So

Scott Benner 59:56
do you want a pump but you're waiting for the libre. To work with the pump.

Alyssa 1:00:00
So like I said earlier, I'm really stubborn, and I have just I have lived my whole life with MDI, and change is hard for me, so I keep convincing myself I need to wait until the perfect moment, I guess, or the perfect pump comes along. This is turning into a therapy session. And honestly, I was just in, actually, Washington, DC, which may be why I mentioned it earlier, right? And I was working with the American Diabetes Association for their call to Congress event, and I was hearing from some diabetes educators about different CGMS they have now and different pumps. And I was like, that seems really cool and also really nice to have in my life. Yeah. So I'm, I'm really considering, at my next endo appointment, saying, Hey, can I, can I get a training session on some of these pumps?

Scott Benner 1:00:56
Is it a control thing? Do you think that's why you like the FBI? Yeah,

Alyssa 1:01:01
I think so. And also with kind of the same sentiment my dad had, where I don't want anything to feel like it's weighing me down, because I'm very active, I'm always thinking about the next step, always doing something. If I sit still too long, I will go crazy. So having something that doesn't feel like I'm attached to too many things, or something could get caught or in the way. But at the same time, I know I'm a very adaptable person because of my diabetes, and I know I would be able to adapt my life to fit what I needed to do, especially if it's for my health, yeah. Oh, I

Scott Benner 1:01:34
think you'd really enjoy it actually. What's your a 1c right now? Mask.

Alyssa 1:01:38
It's, oh, gosh. What was it like? Six point something,

Scott Benner 1:01:43
6.0 gosh, on the high side of 6.5 or the low side of 6.5

Alyssa 1:01:50
it might have been 6.5 okay, exactly. Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:01:52
I mean, in the middle, first of all, you're doing well, like nobody you know would say otherwise. But I mean, just the sleeping on an algorithm is amazing. I mean, nothing that can compare to how I sleep now versus how I slept before. My daughter used an algorithm pump and for her as well. So if for no other reason, look at it for that reason. And if you go with OmniPod five, and I'm this is going to sound like a plug, but it's not. I have two small series, two, three part series, at least. Listen to the the OmniPod five Pro Tip series before you set it up, because the way you set it up dictates how it goes, and you want to have settings right on on day one. It makes it much easier and a much more enjoyable experience in the beginning, you know what I mean, and you're gonna sleep so much better. That's the other thing.

Alyssa 1:02:44
Yeah, and I think it'll help with the I guess, if it's feet on the floor, Dawn phenomenon, whatever it is that happens in the morning, for me, I think it would be really helpful. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:02:54
when your blood sugar starts to rise, it'll start to move insulin to try to meet that. And you won't have to do anything about it, like right now, you'd literally have to get out of bed and give yourself an injection to stop that, right? Yeah. When do you shoot your basal in the morning or at night? I do

Alyssa 1:03:11
it in the morning. Yeah, I used to do it at night, and then I would get lows every night. This was probably my senior year of high school. I would do my Lantis, and then I would wake up every night in the middle of the night with a low and so I had to start doing it in the morning. Alyssa, are you still using Atlantis? Well, I'm on the generic one basal Glar, because that's what insurance made me do. But yes, I use, I use that for my basal. Because what

Scott Benner 1:03:37
I was going to say was, even if you could get to traceba, I've heard great things about it. Yeah, that might give you better 24 hour coverage. Because that might, because that's the other thing is that if you're shooting your basal in the morning, your basal is pretty much shot in the morning, so you have nothing to combat that, that rise. So you might even so you let's think about what was happening. You were shooting at night and getting low overnight, so you moved your basal to the morning, huh? Yes. I wonder if you could move your basal to earlier in the day, and that way have it in long enough where you don't get low overnight, but it's not gone in the morning. Like, does that make sense to what I'm saying?

Alyssa 1:04:21
Yeah, yeah. I've also heard from some people that they have some of their patients do half in the morning, half at night, split it, yeah, but that's something I'm I plan on asking my my endocrinologist in my upcoming appointment is, you know, what are some other methods to do the basal because I am tired of if I can help it, you know, the higher blood sugars throughout the day and then lower at night.

Scott Benner 1:04:48
You did a very nice thing coming on the podcast today and helped me. I'm going to help you now. Okay, okay, episode 1000 through. Episode 1026 is the diabetes Pro Tip series for. The podcast, I'm going to tell you that a lot of these things that I hear you wondering about are going to be covered in there, and that most people who listen to this podcast series tell me they're going to they get an A 1c of six or lower. You should try it. I just, just give it a shot. Okay, so, yeah, it'll take you, I don't know, take you, like, a week to listen through it, but I guarantee you that a lot of those little questions about, see, you're not thinking about the timing of the insulin the way, the way I would, and I don't have, like, if I try to explain it all to you now, like you're just gonna be, like, he could have just sent me to this series. So this year, it's absolutely free, obviously, but give it a try, because I think that it might help you a lot, and I think that it's possible you could find a way to help your father and your brother with it too. I don't we didn't talk about your brother's management, but let me just say this at my funeral, I hope somebody brings up this series, because I think that that's how many people it's helped. So I think it would be a valuable use of your time, plus you're traveling a lot, so you had nothing else to do but listen to but listen to podcast.

Alyssa 1:06:03
Anyway. That is true. That is true. I'll definitely I wrote it down. Oh,

Scott Benner 1:06:07
good. Well, look at you. I didn't think you wouldn't, by the way, and my last question then I'm gonna let you go. Then being Miss Iowa has responsibilities, right? Yes, but you're also teaching. So how do you balance that? Is it like having two jobs? For me, I

Alyssa 1:06:27
have taken a break from teaching to be Miss Iowa full time, okay, but I still teach private lessons, so I do work two jobs, but not in the classroom or the traditional sense of teaching,

Scott Benner 1:06:40
I guess, to be Miss Iowa, or miss anything. Like, it's a full time job for a year, or is it a full time job to try to, like, get into the pageant? Like, give me the like, that idea of like, what is it you're able? Like, how much time does it take to accomplish what you did? I guess there's

Alyssa 1:06:57
definitely some nuance. So you win the local title, and that advances you to the state level. Being a local title holder is by no means a full time job. It's kind of up to you to decide what commitment you want to give to that title. So I represented the, you know, the county that I been now. So Polk County. I was Miss Polk County. I was crowned in October of 2022 and I did about 60 different events throughout my time, from October through June, and I was also balancing teaching full time in the classroom, doing community service, diabetes work, etc, and also preparing for the different phases of competition. So practicing the modeling, the song, the interview portion, all those sorts of things. And then come June, school years already ended, I actually accepted a different position at a different school. So I already was thinking about, you know, moving into a new classroom and all those things. And then, lo and behold, I win Miss Iowa in June of 2023 right? So I had to call up my school district, because it is in my Miss Iowa contract that, if it's possible, this becomes my full time job. So I had to call my school. And also with teaching, I realized that if I were trying to do both of these things, I would not be able to give Miss Iowa, and, you know, the diabetes community 100% and I also would not able to give my students 100% and that would have really broken my heart. So I knew that letting them have a teacher that could give them 100% would have been really soothing for me to know going into this job. So being Miss Iowa is definitely a commitment, because I'm booking all my own gigs. I am traveling to all of our 99 counties because, of course, we can't have 100 we have to have 99 and I've, yeah, I've traveled 40,000 miles. I've been to 63 of the county so far. And I still have two more months, and then I'll go back to teaching in the classroom. Wow, look

Scott Benner 1:09:00
at you. That's wonderful. Well, a ton of effort too. So good for you. Yeah, no, the follow through is big. Easy to say, I want to do something, but when all these steps come up and all the obstacles and the things you have to conquer or or fight through, a lot of people back up and go, Oh, it's a lot of work, you know. But you know, you didn't do that and, and so, you know, so you're Miss Iowa. I didn't know I was talking to miss Polk County too, my goodness,

Alyssa 1:09:28
well, not anymore, because then I got the, you know, the promotion, yes, Iowa. So it's

Scott Benner 1:09:32
really lovely. I it's just been really nice to meet you and to talk. And I appreciate you taking the time to do this with me. Thank you very much.

Alyssa 1:09:39
Well, thank you for having me. It's been a lot of fun. Thank you.

Scott Benner 1:09:42
You did have fun. I was so afraid you were gonna hate me. Oh, when this started, I was like, This is gonna be one where at the end I'm like, Oh, she doesn't like me at all. But you did have a good time. You have a your really lovely way about you. I appreciated it well. Thank

Alyssa 1:09:53
you. Of course, I did have fun. I can reassure you. I did have a good time. Excellent,

Scott Benner 1:09:57
excellent. Hold on one second for me. Okay. Bye.

Did you know if just one person in your family has type one diabetes, you're up to 15 times more likely to get it too. So screen it like you mean it one blood test can spot type one diabetes early. Tap now talk to a doctor or visit screened for type one.com for more info, I want to thank the ever since CGM for sponsoring this episode of The juicebox podcast and invite you to go to Eversense cgm.com/juicebox to learn more about this terrific device, you can head over now and just absorb everything that the website has to offer, and that way you'll know if Eversense feels right for you. Eversense cgm.com/juicebox, a huge thanks to the contour next gen blood glucose meter for sponsoring this episode of The juicebox podcast. Learn more and get started today at contour next.com/juicebox thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The juicebox podcast. If you're not already subscribed or following the podcast in your favorite audio app, like Spotify or Apple podcasts, please do that now. Seriously, just to hit follow or subscribe will really help the show. If you go a little further in Apple podcast and set it up so that it downloads all new episodes, I'll be your best friend, and if you leave a five star review, ooh, I'll probably send you a Christmas card. Would you like a Christmas card if you have type two or pre diabetes, the type two diabetes Pro Tip series from the juicebox podcast is exactly what you're looking for. Do you have a friend or a family member who is struggling to understand their type two and how to manage it? This series is for them seven episodes to get you on track and up to speed. Episode 860, series intro, 864 guilt and shame. Episode 869, medical team. 874, fueling plan. Episode 880, diabetes technology. Episode 885, GLP ones, metformin and insulin. And in episode 889, we talk about movement. This episode is with me and Jenny Smith, of course, you know, Jenny is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She's a registered and licensed dietitian, and Jenny has had type one diabetes for over 30 years. Too many people don't understand their type two diabetes, and this series aims to fix that. Share it with a friend, or get started today. Hey, what's up, everybody? If you've noticed that the podcast sounds better and you're thinking like, how does that happen? What you're hearing is Rob at wrong way recording doing his magic to these files. So if you want him to do his magic to you, wrongwayrecording.com, you got a podcast. You want somebody to edit it. You want rob you.